


Mother Mary (In Times of Trouble)

by Gray Shadows (the_afterlight)



Category: Shelter (2007)
Genre: Character of Color, Racebending Revenge Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-01
Updated: 2010-07-01
Packaged: 2017-10-10 08:36:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/97742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_afterlight/pseuds/Gray%20Shadows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Ay, mi corazon." Zach's mother walked into the room, her eyes stern. "Quietly, please, for your father. And where have you been 'til all hours, hmm?"</p><p>It's hard for Zach Galaz, as a young Latino boy on scholarship, to make any friends at his school; and so his mother worries, as mothers do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mother Mary (In Times of Trouble)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks as always to my beta, mjules! Title from that song -- you know, that one by the Beatles. ;)

The Galaz home stood on the top of a hill in San Pedro, overlooking the harbor. On this night, like most nights, very few of the windows were lit: the kitchen, one bedroom. The living room window jittered with the cold blue illumination of a television being watched in darkness.

Unlike most nights, tonight the front door opened and closed as Zach Galaz, eleven years old, finally came home after school. The car that had dropped him off sped away, as if the driver didn't want to be seen in the neighbourhood; Zach smiled ruefully as he watched it go through the front window. "Mama, I'm home," he called, walking past his father where he sat, passed out, his bottle of painkillers sitting open beside him.

"Ay, mi corazon." Zach's mother walked into the room, her eyes stern. "Quietly, please, for your father. And where have you been 'til all hours, hmm?"

Zach gave his mother a hug before walking past her into the kitchen. "With a friend, Mama! I called, I did! I left a message!"

Though her voice was still stern, if you looked to her eyes, you could see Mrs. Galaz start to soften. "Ah, yes, this message, that said so little. 'I met a friend!' it said. 'He invited me home after school!' Nothing else! You'd think I was a horrible mama, who'd never worry about her son, not knowing where he is! And who is this friend, keeping you out until nine o'clock at night? Someone from school, perhaps?"

"His name's Gabe," Zach explained, grinning up at his mother. "He's in my homeroom class! Mama, can I have some milk?"

"May you."

Zach made a face, but corrected himself. "May I have some milk?" His mother nodded, so Zach pulled out a glass and the bottle of milk from the fridge. "Thanks, Mama. And I'm sorry. But Gabe invited me over again this weekend! Can I go? Mama, he has a _Super Nintendo_!"

"We shall ask your father tomorrow," his mother said, "when you arrive _promptly_ home from school." Zach's face fell.

"Aww, Mama-"

"But!" she continued. "If he says no, I will let you go anyway. Oh, mi pobrecito. Come and give your mother a hug." Zach flung himself into his mother's arms as she knelt down to his level, and she held him close for a long moment. "It is good that you are making friends. You are certain that he is not... That he is telling the truth?"

Zach nodded into his mother's chest. "Yes, Mama," he said. "I do not think he is ready to be friends _at_ school, but he does not shout at me like the others. It is enough. And his older brother was nice to me, too."

They pulled apart. Zach turned to grab his milk off the counter. "Be careful, mi corazon," Zach's mother said, ruffling his hair. "But I am glad for you. It is long past time for someone at this school to accept you." She smiled warmly. "Now. Did your new friend feed you? There is arroz con pollo left over from dinner. I thought to save it for your and your sister's lunches tomorrow, but if you are hungry now..."

Shaking his head, Zach said, "No, I'm good. Gabe's mother had their cook make us some macaroni and cheese."

"Then off to bed with you," she said. "You have school in the morning."

Zach nodded again and turned towards the room he shared with his older sister. "Good night, Mama. Thank you."

* * *

There had been a slip of paper in Zach's backpack, which he'd passed to his mother on his way out the door the next morning: name and phone number, nothing more.

The phone rang once, twice, and then just before the third ring someone picked up. "Andrews residence," answered the person on the end of the line.

"Yes, this is Marisol Galaz. Is Mrs. Andrews available?"

"One moment, please."

There was a long wait, but Zach's mother was used to that. Finally, the phone was picked up again. "Hello, this is Colleen Andrews."

"Hello, Mrs. Andrews. My name is Marisol Galaz. I believe you hosted my son Zach yesterday evening after school?"

There was a light, high laugh through the phone. "Please! Call me Colleen, Marisol. Yes, Gabe brought Zach home with him yesterday after school. Such a _charming_ young boy. It's so nice to see the school giving out opportunities to students who have had fewer chances in life."

"Yes, we were quite happy when we received Zach's acceptance," Zach's mother agreed. "Such a prestigious school. I wished to call and thank you for accepting him into your home; I do hope there was no trouble?"

"Oh, none at all!" Colleen exclaimed. "Really, your son is very well-mannered! I was quite surprised, actually. With my own sons, it's always such a struggle to get them to remember their please and thank yous. I don't know how you managed it!"

"Sometimes, I don't quite know myself," Zach's mother admitted, warming despite herself to the woman on the other end of the line. "Colleen, please, I don't wish to be too blunt, but... May I ask what is perhaps a hard question?"

There was a hesitation on the line before Colleen warily responded, "I suppose."

"I have not met your son," Zach's mother continued, "and from what Zach says, he is a fine young man, but a mother worries. Too many times, Zach has come home from school with tears in his eyes; I am only thankful that the bullying has never progressed to outright violence."

Colleen didn't respond right away; when Zach's mother said nothing more for a few seconds, she said, "I don't believe I heard a question there."

"Then let me be blunt," Zach's mother said. "I wish only to make certain that Gabe is not intending to hurt Zach in some way. It is hard enough for Zach to hear things from the other students at school, but from someone he believes to be a friend, I can only think it would be much, much worse."

"Gabe would _never_ do that!" Colleen said sharply. "How _dare_ you accuse my son of-"

"Please, Colleen - Mrs. Andrews. I do not accuse. As I said, I have not met your son, and know only what I hear from Zach. In fact, I dearly hope that what I fear does not come to pass. Only, I have seen it happen before. If there is _any_ possibility that it could happen here, I hope to save Zach from any worse heartache."

Colleen frowned; Zach's mother could hear it in her voice when she spoke again. "I believe I understand," she said after another moment's pause. "I suppose in your situation, I'd be worried as well. Perhaps we just do things differently here. In fact, I'm surprised to hear there's any bullying in the school at all. I'd never have thought any of the kids from this neighbourhood would do anything like that! Surely it's just kids being kids?"

"Perhaps so," Zach's mother temporised. "Thank you for your time, Colleen. Did Zach give you our phone number yesterday?"

There was a rustling of paper on the other end. Zach's mother assumed that Colleen was going through a notepad. "Ah, yes, here it is," Colleen said. "And, actually, Marisol, I need to run, but I believe Gabe invited Zach over this weekend. Should I call you later to confirm the plans?"

"That would be lovely, Colleen," Zach's mother said. "I work tomorrow during the day, but if you wish to call either this evening or tomorrow night, I will be at home."

"Tomorrow, then, Marisol," Colleen agreed. "Now I really must be off! Perhaps we can meet over coffee sometime!"

"Yes, that sounds-" Zach's mother cut herself off as she heard the click of Colleen hanging up. "Wonderful." She sighed before hanging up the phone herself. "Absolutely wonderful."


End file.
